There are two major kinds of fiction in this world: what we call Literary Fiction (the novels you will find in the "Literature" section of the bookstore, and Genre Fiction (the novels you will find in other sections of the bookstore, i.e. romance, sci-fi/fantasy, western, horror, etc.).
I am a champion of genre fiction. I don't like to generalize too much, but based on my experience and observation it seems to me that for most people, genre fiction is what they read to enjoy themselves, and literary fiction is what people read so that they can tell other people they read it. This is not meant to mock or belittle literary fiction, because I think there is a lot of beautiful work out there that is very high literature. But for the majority of the reading public, I think it is genre fiction that really brings the most joy. This may be simply because it is usually quick and easy to read, or because it usually deals less with reality, but no matter the reason, genre fiction deserves its day.
So, while I encourage readers to read genre fiction ravenously, I encouraging the aspiring writers I know to try their hand at writing genre fiction (any genre they want!) even more.
Here are the reasons why:
1. Genre fiction is more forgiving.
I don't want to say that it is easier to write genre fiction. But I do think it is more forgiving for less experienced writers. Genres have parameters. Conventions. Rules. These boundaries can serve as a safety net for writers who are just taking off their water wings, because they give you a pool side to cling to if you get scared. This may result in a more conventional, less groundbreaking novel, but the great thing about writing, say, a romance novel, is that readers always expect the couple to end up together! That is why they are reading romance! So sticking to that convention won't hurt a writer who hasn't reached the capacity for a twisty, innovative ending.
2. Genre fiction lends itself to sequels/serials.
Stuck for a new story? Just continue the one you started in your last book! Genre works can last for volumes upon volumes. So new writers can create a cast of characters that they can develop slowly, over the course of several books. This gives new or inexperienced writers a chance to take their time, flesh out the whole storyline, and go back to clean up important details. It can also help new writers focus on particular elements, such as plot, because they are already working with developed characters. In short, genre fiction allows writers to become authors of multiple works much more easily. (Purists will say that this is a lazy man's tactic, but I think that is a little prudish.)
3. Genre fiction is a community.
Geeks, nerds, losers, Dungeon Masters... There are a slew of names for the stereotypical genre fiction/reader writer. But the underlying fact is that genres inherently develop communities. Do you have a specific interest in medieval fantasy novels? Find someone else who is a George R.R. Martin devotee, and you will find a host of others willing to talk about the books with you, discuss the merits of different characters and plot points, lament the length of time between volumes, and express a desire to create something as masterful. For genre writers this can be immeasurably useful. Here is a group of people with true passion for your niche! This opens the door for peer editing, focus groups, book discussions, and collaboration that may just not be as possible in literary fiction. In your genre, your test reader and peer editors know your genre inside out. They can tell what you are trying to accomplish, so they can give you better advice. Beyond that, it is just more fun to have a group of people to share the hobby that you love. And then maybe you won't have to go to the renaissance fair alone. In your costume. To buy an authentic female breastplate from the middle ages. Not that that has ever happened to me.
4. Genre fiction is lucrative.
Again, I am forced to point out a sad truth--most writers of literary fiction are artists. Starving artists. Because, as I pointed out, most of the (sadly undereducated) public enjoys reading genre fiction. They love the predictable plots that have been tweaked, the specified time periods, the inevitable thrill of potentially racy scenes. Romance is again a good example. No matter how many times readers read a book about a man and a woman who start off hating each other but fall in love by the end, they will never be bored with it. Because that is what they like to read. Meaning, if you are a canny writer, you will always write those romance novels, because they will always sell. When you find a group of people who love your genre, you will always have an audience for your books. Who will then pressure their friends and family into reading your books so they have something to talk about. This is also the great thing about writing a genre series (beyond the above mentioned reason). Once you get people interested in a character, they will keep reading books with that character in it. So there you go! You can always be working!*
The bottom line, for me, is that writing genre fiction seems to be associated with a lot less pressure to write "the great American novel", while still presenting a fantastic opportunity to present some really great writing. There is wiggle room, and better odds at a steady paycheck.
So, all you readers/writers out there, read genre fiction, write genre fiction, and enjoy the innumerable fruits to be gleaned from both!
*Don't misunderstand me. Being a full-time writer is difficult to achieve, no matter what you are writing. Genre fiction is just a more inviting door to try to stick your toe in.
I am a champion of genre fiction. I don't like to generalize too much, but based on my experience and observation it seems to me that for most people, genre fiction is what they read to enjoy themselves, and literary fiction is what people read so that they can tell other people they read it. This is not meant to mock or belittle literary fiction, because I think there is a lot of beautiful work out there that is very high literature. But for the majority of the reading public, I think it is genre fiction that really brings the most joy. This may be simply because it is usually quick and easy to read, or because it usually deals less with reality, but no matter the reason, genre fiction deserves its day.
So, while I encourage readers to read genre fiction ravenously, I encouraging the aspiring writers I know to try their hand at writing genre fiction (any genre they want!) even more.
Here are the reasons why:
1. Genre fiction is more forgiving.
I don't want to say that it is easier to write genre fiction. But I do think it is more forgiving for less experienced writers. Genres have parameters. Conventions. Rules. These boundaries can serve as a safety net for writers who are just taking off their water wings, because they give you a pool side to cling to if you get scared. This may result in a more conventional, less groundbreaking novel, but the great thing about writing, say, a romance novel, is that readers always expect the couple to end up together! That is why they are reading romance! So sticking to that convention won't hurt a writer who hasn't reached the capacity for a twisty, innovative ending.
2. Genre fiction lends itself to sequels/serials.
Stuck for a new story? Just continue the one you started in your last book! Genre works can last for volumes upon volumes. So new writers can create a cast of characters that they can develop slowly, over the course of several books. This gives new or inexperienced writers a chance to take their time, flesh out the whole storyline, and go back to clean up important details. It can also help new writers focus on particular elements, such as plot, because they are already working with developed characters. In short, genre fiction allows writers to become authors of multiple works much more easily. (Purists will say that this is a lazy man's tactic, but I think that is a little prudish.)
3. Genre fiction is a community.
Geeks, nerds, losers, Dungeon Masters... There are a slew of names for the stereotypical genre fiction/reader writer. But the underlying fact is that genres inherently develop communities. Do you have a specific interest in medieval fantasy novels? Find someone else who is a George R.R. Martin devotee, and you will find a host of others willing to talk about the books with you, discuss the merits of different characters and plot points, lament the length of time between volumes, and express a desire to create something as masterful. For genre writers this can be immeasurably useful. Here is a group of people with true passion for your niche! This opens the door for peer editing, focus groups, book discussions, and collaboration that may just not be as possible in literary fiction. In your genre, your test reader and peer editors know your genre inside out. They can tell what you are trying to accomplish, so they can give you better advice. Beyond that, it is just more fun to have a group of people to share the hobby that you love. And then maybe you won't have to go to the renaissance fair alone. In your costume. To buy an authentic female breastplate from the middle ages. Not that that has ever happened to me.
4. Genre fiction is lucrative.
Again, I am forced to point out a sad truth--most writers of literary fiction are artists. Starving artists. Because, as I pointed out, most of the (sadly undereducated) public enjoys reading genre fiction. They love the predictable plots that have been tweaked, the specified time periods, the inevitable thrill of potentially racy scenes. Romance is again a good example. No matter how many times readers read a book about a man and a woman who start off hating each other but fall in love by the end, they will never be bored with it. Because that is what they like to read. Meaning, if you are a canny writer, you will always write those romance novels, because they will always sell. When you find a group of people who love your genre, you will always have an audience for your books. Who will then pressure their friends and family into reading your books so they have something to talk about. This is also the great thing about writing a genre series (beyond the above mentioned reason). Once you get people interested in a character, they will keep reading books with that character in it. So there you go! You can always be working!*
The bottom line, for me, is that writing genre fiction seems to be associated with a lot less pressure to write "the great American novel", while still presenting a fantastic opportunity to present some really great writing. There is wiggle room, and better odds at a steady paycheck.
So, all you readers/writers out there, read genre fiction, write genre fiction, and enjoy the innumerable fruits to be gleaned from both!
*Don't misunderstand me. Being a full-time writer is difficult to achieve, no matter what you are writing. Genre fiction is just a more inviting door to try to stick your toe in.
Some of the reasons you list here are the same reasons why I prefer to browse the ever-shrinking literature walls at Border's instead of the genre aisles. I have zero knowledge of romance novels, so I'm going to focus on the fantasy genre here. For every George R. R. Martin daring to write something unprecedented within the fantasy genre, there are a thousand other authors willing to just churn out the same imitation Tolkien stuff that's been done a million times. If I'm going to invest in a five thousand page story spanning multiple books, it better at least take me somewhere new. And the author better not die on me before it's finished.
ReplyDeleteWhy are fantasy novels all so long? There is something to be said for the three minute pop song. Be concise. Flesh out your fictional world by building the illusion of thousands of years of history instead of making me read all of it. A writer who can really utilize negative space within his stories would impress me a lot.
I disagree with you when you say that literary fiction is what people read so that they can tell other people they've read it. I read Haruki Murakami for that punched-in-the-stomach feeling I get every time I finish one of his books. I read Paul Auster for his voice. I read J. M. Coetzee for his semi-colons (seriously, they're perfect). I read David Mitchell because I've already read all of Murakami's books and he's the next best thing. I read literary fiction because it affects me in so many ways like nothing else.
All these genres got started because of some really awesome literature. Because somebody sat down, wrote something original and captivating, and it blew minds. The massive, dark, and intimidating wall of vampire romance novels that looms over the rest of the bookstore may be bringing in a lot of money, but it's also slowly but surely forcing innovative writing out of sight and into obscurity.
Don't kill the novel. Seek out originality, innovate, write in so many different genres that they have no choice but to stuff your western/noir/romance epic poem about cybernetic werewolves with laser claws in the literary section.
I totally see where you are coming from. And I should have made a bigger distinction between the average reader and the book lover. You seem like someone in the latter category. People who love books will look for writing that challenges them--life changing writing that will deeply affect them. Average readers are looking for something to a. entertain them and b.give them a talking point for cocktail parties. *caveat: this is based on observation of readers I know--both average and avid.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I agree with you that genre fiction should strive for literariness. But for just-starting-out writers I think this can be a prohibitively lofty goal.
On another point, I think that fantasy novels tend to be so long because creating another universe just can't be done in a few short pages. Unlike something like realistic literature or historical fiction, the context of the story is entirely dependent on the author to provide. The reader won't be able to fill in the blanks. So more time has to be spent on setting, background, social hierarchy, traditions, vocabulary, etc. I think it just one of the nastier side effects of fantasy writing. This is why I love supplemental fantasy material. (For lack of a better example, Tolkien's History of Middle Earth.) It gives the reader the choice about whether they want to wade through the creation of the alternate reality. But I think most avid fantasy readers are okay with that. (Again, an observation based purely on fantasy readers I know.)